Google (GOOG) is "putting the finishing touches" on an iOS Google Maps app and has distributed a...

Google (GOOG) is "putting the finishing touches" on an iOS Google Maps app and has distributed a test version to people outside the company, the WSJ reports. However, it remains unclear when the app will be submitted to Apple for approval. The Guardianrecently reported the app should be ready by year's end, and Nokia (NOK) announced its Here iOS mapping app earlier this week. The WSJ also notes Eddy Cue, the Apple (AAPL) exec now in charge of the criticized iOS 6 Maps, "has been hands-on with the maps team" in an effort to fix the product.

I still don't understand the issue with the Apple Maps. I think it rocks.

Way better than Google Maps. Google may have some enhanced features and functionality (marginal issues for now) and Apple will catch up and deliver a better experience. they already have. It will only improve.

Apple's maps app is better for most things, it's faster and slicker looking. It's hard to compare though because the previous app was based on the 4-5 year old API, I imagine the new app will be based on the Android maps app which is much better than the one with iOS 5.

Google maps will definitely have legs, particularly if you lean heavy on the public transit maps, the bike routing, or street view. Also, if they can get it working on iOS 5 with the original iPad I'll be using it.

"Nokia is launching its maps application for iOS under the HERE brand. The app is based on HTML5 and boasts some cool offline capabilities you just won’t find on Apple Maps: voice-guided walk navigation, and public transport directions. " http://bit.ly/T5loSf

nm. It's all browser based. Not very exciting. It's like a slightly nicer looking version of Google Maps for the web. I can't see ever going back to bitmapped maps, it's jarring now and slow. I'm guessing the Windows Phone Version works better?

Apple Maps has been vector based since the day they rolled out so it's hard to say they are seven years behind (in that regard anyhow). Google maps have been vector based for quite a while on Android.

Luke was talking about using here.net with iOS... and it's bitmap based on iOS, much slower than the maps app on the iPhone 5 and the bitmaps are jarring after you get used to vector based maps. It's also slower than the Google Maps app on iOS 5 (using my iPad 1st gen).

Also, Apple's maps app automatically downloads larger areas so if you aren't constantly using bandwidth and if you are traveling cross country you can keep using maps offline for a while. The old maps app and Nokia's app have to be online to do any updates.

Again, this all relates to using Maps on iOS. Maybe Nokias maps are great on Nokia phones, but on iOS they are aren't very interesting.

If the street rumor on Microsoft's Office being ported over to iOS and will be available in April 2013, it will be another big market expansion for iPad into the enterprise application, and it definitely will impact Surface's sale. On the other hand, Microsoft will have additional revenue from Office for iOS. It might even be a better deal for MS to sell more Office than Surface. This should be a win-win situation for both Apple and MS.

I have used Apple maps in Taipei, Washington DC and Mainland China and work flawless with great tourist and cultural sites. I am impressed with it and happy to move out from Google maps.Ready to try new Nokia. I am for competition and having choices, that is why I think Apple move in maps was a good shakeup for the the one source segment.

I never could figure out what people saw wrong with Apple maps, it gets me everywhere I want to go with no questions asked! I tried Apple maps on the same route that I use Google maps, Google would lead me off into the woods into a dead road or old oil field site, you cannot get anywhere from there, and Apple maps does not take you there, takes you the correct route! There are a lot of Apple haters out there but maybe that is because they just have not owned Apple stock for several years and they're not wealthy now!

First off, I have found Apple maps as good or better than Goog with only the exception that it is a bit harder to see the traffic congestion mark when applicable. The good news is that it doesn't cover up the labels of the road you have your directions path on. Erroneous directions have never been an issue for me, and mis rendered 3D is a red herring. So What? That is a curiosity feature for me. Street view? For the very rare occasion I need that, I do it on the desktop anyway.

But I think AAPL should approve the GOOG maps app. But they should NOT allow them to do turn by turn. Poetic justice! By doing that, I bet 99% of people will use AAPL maps and this could turn into a PR win by pointing to GOOG's 'original extortion, and to how feature wise Apple maps are preferable after all.

Apple maps data for the UK (largely from TomTom, I think) is very poor. Search for the main road in my childhood home town and you will be directed to a street 15,023 miles away in Australia - quite a margin of error. My current home town doesn't exist apparently. Report it to Apple and precisely nothing happens. Try to report it to TomTom on an iPad and you'll find out it requires Flash. Why partner with someone who doesn't support your devices for heaven's sake? Google Maps is slow but way more accurate and has the best public transport (transit) info by some distance. So far Apple Maps is a major fail in my part of the world and all the serious competitors are considerably better.

I think a lot of it is regional. I've heard a fair number of people say the European maps aren't as good. They are working on it. I understand there was a big update and the tube stations in London appear now :|

iPhone 5's are available for immediate shipping out of Verizon inventory here in the Philadelphia area. In addition, Verizon is offering a trade-in value of $140 for an old iPhone 4 and offered me last night a $50 discount on the upgrade. This makes my cost to upgrade to the 16G iPhone 5 just nine dollars.